Tractor



0.1. BRITT.

TRACTOR.

I APPLICATION FILED NOV-25,19I9. 1 34-1 5 37 Patented May 25, 19200 I 3 SHEETSSHEET I g z n '4 1 5* I I v 8'8 3 I) I], I

:2 Charles IT. Britc WITNESS: IN VENTOR.

A TTORNE Y.

C. J. BRITT.

v TRACTOR.

, APPLICATION FILED NOV. 25, 1919- 1,34:1,537. v Patented y 25, 1920.

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FI QE Charles J. Britt WITNESS: IN VEN TOR.

B Y I A TTORNE Y.

C. J. BRITT.

TRACTOR.

APPLICATEON FILED NOV. 25. 1919.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

Patented May 25, 1920.

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unrrso srarss PATENT OFFICE.

TRACTOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 25, 1920.

Original application filed April 15, 1918, Serial No. 228,709. Divided and this application filed November To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that T, CHARLES J. Bnrr'r, a citizen of the United States, residing at Willington, in the county of McCormick and State of South Carolina; have invented new and useful Improvements in Tractors, of which the following is a specification.

This application is a division of my contemporary application filed April 15, 1918, Serial No. 228,709, which has eventuated into Patent 1,330,733 dated February 10, 1920.

One object of the present invention is to produce a simple and improved construction whereby, in steering, the v large driven ground wheel will be tilted in the direction in which the machine is to be driven.

Another object of the present inventlon 15 to produce a simple and improved steering gear whereby a pair of steering wheels will be actuated simultaneously with the tilting parts of the invention.

With these and other ends in vlew which will appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in the improved construction, arrangement and combination of parts which will be hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawing has been illustrated a simple and preferred form of the invention, it being, however, understood that no limitation is necessarily made to the precise structural details therein exhibited,-

but that changes, alterations and modifications within the scope of the claims may be resorted to when desired.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a top plan View of a tractor constructed in accordance with the invention.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the tractor.

Fig. 3 is a rear elevation.

F ig. 4 is a sectionaldetail view taken on the line 44 in Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a horizontal detail view taken on the line 5-5 in Fig. 3.

Corresponding parts in the several figures are denoted by like characters of reference.

Theframe of the machine, which may be constructed of channel steel or other appropriate material, includes the side members 15 andthe front and rear cross-bars 16, 17.

The side members 15 are provided inter-- mediate the ends thereof with downwardly Serial No. 340,602.

offset portions 18 adapted to support a motor which is conventionally indicated by M.

The ground-engaging driving wheel A is I be used for transmitting power from the motor to the axle.

The rear axle 36 of the improved machine is equipped with steering wheels 37, 38 of the ordinary automobile type, said steering wheels being supported by the steering knuckles 39, each having an arm 40; said arms being connected together by a rod or link bar 41; The Wheel 38 is preferably of larger diameter than the wheel 37, and the rear axle will thus occupy a slightly tilted position which, however, does not interfere with the use-of the tractor for general purposes. v

Supported on the rear axle by brackets or supporting members 42, is a transversely inclined bolster 43 with the high side of which one side member 15 of the main frame is connected by a hinge 44. The frame of the machine supports a vertical steering shaft 45 having a hand wheel 46, said shaft being connected by a universal joint 47 with another approximately vertical shaft 48, the latter being supported for rotation in brackets or bearing members associated with the rear axle 36 and supported on the latter. The steering shaft is capable of sliding longitudinally in its hearings in the frame of the machine. The shaft 48 carries a worm 49 meshing with a worm gear 50 on a shaft 51 which is supported for rotation in a bearing lug 52 connected with the machine frame. The shaft 51 also carries a pinion 53 meshing with an arcuate rack 54 rising from and connected with the rear axle. Said rack is preferably guided through a slot 54 in the bolster 43, as clearly seen in Fig.2. The

worm shaft 48 carries a pinion 55 meshing with a spur wheel 56 on a shaft 57, said shaft carrying also a pinion 58 that meshes with a rack 59 at one end of a bar 60, the

other end of which is pivotally connected at axle 36' adjacent to the wheels 37 and 38, respectively, the forward ends of said radius rods being connected with one of the side nexed, the operation and advantages of the improved tractor will be readily understood by those skilled in the art towhich it appertains. A three-wheel tractor is peculiarly adapted to travelover uneven ground, owing to the fact that theground is engaged only at three points, thereby insuring stability and avoiding undue shaking and vibration. In steering the machine, the steering wheels 37, 38 will not only be turned in the proper direction by the action of the steering shaft, but at the same time the frame of the machine will be tilted with respect to the rear axle, thereby tilting the driving wheel A in the direction in which the turn is to be made, thereby greatly facilitating the turning of sharp corners. This tilting of the frame and the driving wheel, it will beobserved, is effected simultaneously with the adjustment of the steering wheels and by mechanism actuated by the steering shaft. When the frame is tilted, the bearings of the steering shaft will 'slide longitudinally of the latter, and'the presence of the universal joint 47 will permitthe necessary movement to take place without straining or breaking any of the parts of the device. The general construction of the improved tractor is simple and inexpensive, and it will be found to be thoroughly useful for a variety of purposes. It may here be mentioned that draft bars indicated at have been shown connected with the ends of the axle 27, said draft bars extending downwardly and rearwardly and. being supported by braces 71 connected with the side members of the frame. The draft bars ma be connected together by a hitching bar 2 with which plows or other implements may be connected. It is obvious, however, that no limitation is intended as to the manner of utilizing the tractor or the manner of connecting it with implements or Vehicles to be drawn or operated thereby.

By arranging the bolster 43 in an inclined position as shown and connecting-the main frame hingedly withthe high side of the bolster, the frame may obviously be dipped or tilted either to the right or to the'left, without interference by the bolster.

Manifestly the frame of my tractor can be extended rearwardly, say five feet, to permit of the use of a back radius rod, without affecting my invention.

Having described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters-Patent, is:

. 1. In a three-wheel tractor, a main frame,

a single longitudinal-central. driving wheel, means for supporting the driving wheel for rotation with respect to the main frame,

-a longitudinal central main driving Wheel,

and means for tilting the frame and the driving wheel in concert.

3. In a three-wheel tractor, a main frame, a main driving wheel, an axlerhaving steering wheels, means for supporting the main frame with respect to the axle, said means including .a hinge cpnnection between the supporting means and one side member of the main frame, and steering means including means for tilting the main frame and the main driving wheel. 7

4. In a three-wheel tractor, a'main frame having side members, an axle extending through said side members, a main driving wheel carried by said axle, means for rotating said axle, means for rotating said wheel, an axle having steering wheels, a bolster supported by said axle, a hinge connection between the bolster and one side member of the frame, and means fortilting the main frame with respect to the bolster. I

5. Ina three-wheel tractor, a main frame having side members, an axle extending through said sidemembers, a main driving wheel carried by said axle, means for rotating said axle, means for rotating said wheel, an axle having steering wheels, a bolster supported by said axle, a hinge connection between the bolster and one side member of the vframe, and means for tilting the main frame with respect to the bolstei', means including an arcuate rack supported by the axle that carries the steering wheels, a shaft carried by the main frame and having a pinion engaging said rack, and means for rotating the shaft.

6. Ina three-wheel tractor, a main frame having side members, an axle extending through said side members, a main driving wheel carried by the axle, means for effecting rotation of said main driving wheel to propel the tractor, a secondary axle having steering wheels, a bolster supported by said secondary axle, a hinge connection between said bolster and one side member of the main frame, and means for simultaneously tilting the main frame and effecting adjustment of the steering wheels to steer the tractor.

7. In a three-wheel tractor, a main frame having side members, an axle extending,

through said side members, a main-driving wheel carried by the axle, means for effecting rotation of said main driving wheel to propel the tractor, a secondary axle having rennet steering wheels, a bolster supported by said secondary axle, a hinge connection between said bolster and one side member of the main frame, and means for simultaneously tilting the main frame and efiecting adjustment of the steering wheels to steer the tractor, said steering wheels being of unequal diameter.

8. In a three-wheel tractor, a main frame havin side members, an axle extending through said side members, a main driving wheel carried by the axle, means for rotating the driving wheel to propel the tractor, a secondary axle, knuckles and steering wheels carried by said secondary axle, said knuckles having radial arms, a link bar connecting said arms, a rack bar connected with one of the arms, a pinion meshing with the rack bar, means for rotating the pinion including a shaft having a worm, a steering shaft rotatably and slidably supported in the main frame, a universal joint connection between the steering shaft and the Wormcarrying shaft, a shaft supported for rotation by the main frame, a worm gear car- 9. In a three-wheel tractor, a main frame having side members, an axle extending through said side members, a single driving wheel carried by said shaft intermediate the side members, and means for rotating the driving wheel to propel the tractor, a secondary axle having steering wheels, abolster supported by said axle, a hinge connection between said bolster and one side member of the main frame, radius rods extending from the secondary axle to the side member of the frame having hinge connection with the bolster, and a ball and socket joint connection between the radius rods and said side member.

lln testimony whereof I aflix mysi nature.

CHARLES J. B ITT. 

